Chain-link



1-1.3.KBLLEYQ CHAIN LINK.

No. 469,449.' -a.tented Feb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

HARRY E. KELLEY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NE\V YORK.

CHAIN-LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,449, dated February 23, 1892.

Application filed April 25, 1891. Serial No. 390,379. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chains, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to chains which are composed of flat sheet-metal links; and it has for its object to produce a neat and inexpensive chain of this character in which the links are prevented from twisting and in which the packs of the links present a smooth fiat surace.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dog-collar constructed from my improved chain. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the chain. Fig. 3 is a view of the back or inner side of the chain. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of two links of the chain, showing the manner of connecting the links. Fig. 6 is a View of one of the stamped blanks from which the links are formed. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a chain which embodies my invention in a slightly-different form. Fig. 8 is a View of the blank from which the links of this chain are formed.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The links of the chain each consist of a strip of sheet inetal doubled upon itself to form an eye or knuckle a at its bent portion, and having transvere slots 1) b in its e11dportions,with which the eye of an adjoining link engages. One of the slotted end portions B of the link is connected with the adjacent body portion of the link by a neck or contracted portion c,which is of less widththan the body portion of the link and formed by recessing or notching the body of the link adjacent to the slotted end portion. The portion of the blank between the contracted neck 0 and the centerof the blank which forms the outer side or face of the link when the blank is doubled is made a trifle narrower than the length of the slots, so as to permit this portion of the blank to be passed through the slots. The remaining portion of the blank, forming the inner side or back of the link when the blank is folded,is preferably of the same width as the ends of the blank in which the slots are formed, as represented in Figs.

In forming the chain one of the link-blanks is doubled centrally to bring the transverse slot-s b thereof into coincidence, as represented in Fig. 5. The slotted end portion B of another link is then passed through both registering-slots of the first-mentioned link by inclining said slotted end portion, as shown in Fig. 5, inserting one end thereof in said slots, and then passing the remainder of said end portion, the contracted neck portion, and the adjacent body portion through the slots until the end bars 1), formed by the slots, are seated in the eye of the newly-attached link. The latter is then doubled or closed to confine the cross-bars b in its eye and bring its own slots Z) into coincidence preparatory to inserting the slotted end portion B of the succeedin g link through its slots. This operation is repeated with each successive link until a chain of the desired length is formed. The contracted neck portion permits the slotted end of a still open link to be passed through the slots of the adjacent closed link, as above described.

By constructing the chain-links as described a sightly chain having a smooth flat inner surface is obtained, and the links,while being free to pivot upon each other, are prevented from twisting like the links of ordinary chains.

Ways rest flat against the neck of the animal and are not so apt to catch the hair as ordinary chain-links. lVhen the chain-links are used for dog-collars, a name-plate D is preferably employed having end loops cl, which engage with the eyes a of the adjacent links. The end links of the collar are provided with suitable fastenings for connecting the same together.

If desired, the blanks maybe provided with contracted necks 0 near opposite ends and the body portion of the blank between the two contracted necks be made of a uniform width and narrow enough to permit either end of the blank to be passed through the slots of another blank, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 or other device, may be arranged upon the front sides of the chain-links to improve the appearance of the chain.

The eyes of the links are formed on the 5 front sides of the links, so as to leave the backs of the same flat.

I claim as my invention- A sheet-metal chain-link doubled upon itself and provided with transversely-slotted to end portions and having its body adjacent to one of said slotted end portions of the proper width to be passed through the slots of an adjoining link, and recesses in the edges of said body portion adjacent to the slotted end p0rtion,wherebya contracted neck is formed 1 5 of less width than the adjacent body portion, substantially as set forth.

it-mess my hand this 21st day of April, 1891.

HARRY E. KELLEY.

\Vitnesses:

FRED I. PIERCE, FRED. C. GEYER. 

